Stretching machine for uncoiling, flattening, and coiling metal strip



Sept. 14, 1948.

Filed Dec. 28. 1944 AND COILING METAL STRIP A. POPE STRETCHING MACHINE FOR UNGOILING, FLAITENING,

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 can- \NVEHTOR Sept. 14, 1948. POPE 2,449,507

A; STREIGHING MACHINE FOR UNCOILING, FLAT'IENING,

AND COILING METAL STRIP Filed Dec. 28, 1944 5 Sheets -Sheet 2 UNVENTO R 7% Q ji -M Sept. 14, 1948. POPE 2,449,507

STRETCHING MACHINE FOR UNCOILING, FLATI'ENING, AND COILING METAL STRIP Filed Dec. 28, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 14, 19418. POPE 2,449,507

' swnmcnme MACHINE, FOR uucomne, FLATTENING,

AND coILING METAL STRIP f5 Sheets-Sheet 41 Filed Dec. 28, '1944 I Sept. 14, 1948. A. POPE 2,449,507

STRETCHING MACHINE FOR UNCOILING, FLAT'IENING, AND COILING METAL STRIP Filed Dec. 28, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR RHEY Patented Sept. 14, 1948 STRETCEHING MACHINE -FO'R UN COILING,

FLA-.TTENING, S TRIP AND COILING Alfred lop'e, Fenn Fields, \Volverha'mpton, England; assignor to Joshua Bigwood & Son Ilim- England, a British oomited, Wolverhampton pally Application December 28, 194.4, Serial .No. $10,107 In Great Britain November 24, 1943 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires November 24, 19,63

4 Claims. (Cl. 153*35) This invention relates to stretching machines" for flattening metal strip, the machines bein of the kind comprising an elong-ated bed provided with a pair of Spaced grippers, one of which can be power-operated for moving it parallel to the length of the bed, and the other of which may be mounted so that it can have its position adjusted' parallel to the length of the bed, and an uncaring device mounted Over the bed usually between the two grippers, so that the coil of strip can be mounted on the uhcoiling device and be uncoiled thereby, its free end passing along the bed and being attached to one of the grippers, after which the opposite end is attached to the power-operated gripper which is then moved par- 2.1161 to the length of the bed to stretch the metal strip.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction. f

According to the present inventionthe uncoiling device is movably mounted so that after the coil of metal strip has been uncoiled thereby, the uncoiling device can be moved away from the bed to allow the end portion of the strip to be passed to and secured in the power-operated gripper.

The uncoiling device may be mounted on a table I which is mounted for movement in guides or on rails transversely to the bed. A gap may be provided in the bed, and a carrier may be provided,

one end of which extends into this 'gap,and this "carrier may be provided with guide grooves or rails in or on whichthe table for the uncoiling device can move.

Also according to the present invention, I provide a re-coi-ling device for the strip which is independent of the uncoiling device. This recoiling device may bemounted over the bed and may be movable parallel thereto.

The re-coiling device may be mounted upon a frame of inverted U,-shape which straddles over the bed and which may haveits lower ends provided \v'ith' supporting wheels which run upon guides or rails,

By providing a re-coiling device which is separate from the uncoiling device, after a strip has been treated and its ends released from thegripper'sj, the re-coillng device may b moved into a position adjacent one end of the-strip, and this end of the strip maybe raised and passed into the re-coiling mechanism so that the operation of re-coiling this strip can proceed while afresh coil to be flattened is being uncoiled from the unc'oiling device.

,Further, according to the present invention I may provide a device for oilingv or greasing the strip after it has been flattened, and such a device may be mounted on an inverted U-shaped frame which is similar to that proposed for the recoiling device and which can be moved parallel to the lengthof the bed.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of a machine constructed inaccordance with this invention.

FigureZisarplan. t Figure 3 is a side View showing the uncoiiin-g mechanism and (meet the grippers.

Figure '4 is a side view "showing the other gripper.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Figure 1. Figure 6 is a section on line 6---5 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a section on line 1-7 of Figure 1. t Figure -8 is a section on line 8- 8 of Figure '7. Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Figure 1'0. Figure 10 is a section on line ill-l0 of Figures 1 and'9. Figures ,3 to '10 are shown to a larger scale than Figures 1 and In the construction illustrated the elongated bed consists of channel section members i0 con nected by a continuous strip H at the bottom and. comiected at intervals by ties I 2, the assein bly being mounted upon suitable supports 13. Along a part of itslength the bed is provided with a rack of teeth M, any one of which can'be engaged by a pivoted hook shaped anchor l5 as sociated with one of the grippers Hi, This gripper l6 maybe of the usual form and may be adapted to be moved along the length of the bed and thenwanchored by the hook to the rack so that it will be locked against return movement.

Another gripper 17 is provided at or adjacent the opposite end of the bed, and this gripper is of known construction and is mounted for movement along the bed and is connectedto hydraulic or other mechanismby which it may be poweroperated parallel to the length of the bed.

Adjacent the power-operated gripper H a transverse gap I8- is provided in the bed, and into and in these guides can slide a table 24 carrying the uncoiling mechanism 2|.

The underside of the table 24 is provided with a rack 25 to enable the table to be moved in and out of the gap.

The carrier I9 is provided with a, power unit 26 which drives gearing 2! driving a shaft 28 having a pinion 29 which engages with the rack 25 so that power can be applied to slide the table 24 from a position in which the uncoiling mechanism 2| is situated in the gap l8 to a position in which the uncoiling mechanism is moved to one side of the gap.

On the surface of the bed a frame 30 of wood or other relatively soft material which may have transverse rollers 3|, may be provided for the 7 material to be treated to slide over so that its surface will not be scratched.

Mounted over the bed and between the uncoiling mechanism and the gripper to which the free end of the coil is first secured, is a re-coiling unit 46. This is mounted on a supporting frame 32 of inverted U shape which straddles over the bed 'and is supported on wheels 33 which run upon rails 34 at the sides of the bed and parallel thereto.

This re-coiling mechanism incorporates rollers is provided which straddles over the bed, and this frame at its upper part carries an'oiling or greasing unitwhich may include a tank 38 containing oil or other liquid with which it is desired to coat the surface of the metal strip before re-coiling. The mechanism may incorporate transverse roll- V cm 39covered with felt or other suitable absorbing material 40, and fed with the oil or liquid from the tank by means of a drip-feed or other means 4|.

When this oiling component is used, after the strip has been treated, its end is taken over a guide pulley 42 on the oiling component, andbetween the oiling rollers and thence to the recoiling unit.

The re-coiling unit and the oiling or greasing unit may be positioned in relation to the bed by providing the upper flanges of the members I!) with a series of spaced holes 41 and providing the frame 32 and the frame 31 with lugs 48 adapted to be connected by inclined bars 49 with the bed of the machine. The bars 49 are pro-' vided with downwardly projecting pins 50 which enter holes in the lugs 48 and the holes 41.

With a machine constructed as described, after a, length of metal has been treated, the re-coiling .unitand the oiling unit, if employed, can be moved parallel to the length of the 'bed to a suitable position for receiving the leading end of the metal, and re-coiling or oiling and re-coiling may proceed simultaneously with the uncoiling of a fresh' coil of metal by the uncoiling device.

The machine constructed in accordance with the present invention also has the advantage that if the coil of material placed on the uncoiling unit contains multiple lengths of the lengths of strip to be stretched, the required length can be uncoiled, cut off and stretched and Ire-coiled on th re-coiling unit leaving the remainderoi the original coil on the uncoiling unit readyfo'r uncoiling the next length.

What I claim then is:

1. A machine for flattening metal strip initially in coil form comprising an elongated bed formed by a pair of spaced beams placed side by side in spaced relationship, means connecting said said beams together, and supporting means disposed under said beams, a rack of teeth extending along a part of said bed, a gripper mounted over said rack and on the bed for adjustment along said bed, a pivoted anchor on said gripper for engaging with said rack, a second gripper mounted on the bed at a position spaced from the adjustable gripper, power operated means for moving the second gripper parallel to the bed towards and away from said adjustable gripper, a guideway disposed transversely to said bed and projecting to one side thereof at a position near said power operated gripper and between said grippers, a table slidably mounted on said guideway, means for moving said table along said guideway, and uncoiling means on said table.

2.'A machine for flattening metal stripinitially in coil form comprising an elongated bed formed by a pair of spaced beams placed side by side in spaced relationship, means connecting said beams together, and supportingmeans disposed under said beams, an adjustable gripper mounted for movement along said bed, means for anchoring said adjustable gripper to the bed, a second gripper mounted on the bed at a, position spaced from the adjustable gripper, powerroperated means for moving the second gripper parallel to the bed towards and away from said adjustable gripper, said bed having a transverse gap between said grippers, a guideway disposed transversely to. the bed and extending into the gap, a table slidably mounted on said guideway, means for moving said table along said guideway, uncoiling means on said table, rails at the sides of said bed, a frame movable on said rails and extending over said bed, re-coiling means mounted on the frame, and means for anchoring said frame to the bed'in various positions.

3. A machine for flattening metal stripinitially in coil form comprising an" elongated bed consisting of two sections placed in alinement and spacedapart, an adjustable gripper mounted for movement along one section of the bed, means for anchoring said adjustable gripper to the bed, a second gripper mounted on theothe r section of thebed, power operated means for movingthe second gripper parallel to the bed towards'and away from said adjustable gripper, a guideway disposed transversely to said bed and extending between the sections thereof, a table slidably mounted on said guideway, means for moving said table along said guideway, and uncoiling means on said table.

4. A machine for flattening metal stripinitially in coil form comprising an elongated bed consisting of two sections placed in alinement and spaced apart, an adjustable gripper mounted for movement along one section of the bed, means for anchoring said adjustable gripper to the bed, a second gripper mounted on the other section of thebed, power operated means'for moving the second gripper parallel to the bed towards and away from said adjustable gripper, a guideway disposed transversely to said bed andextending between the sections thereof, a table slidably mounted on Said guideway, means for moving said table along said guideway, uncoiling means on said table, rails at the sides of said bed, a frame movable on said rails and extending over said bed, recoiling means mounted on the frame and means for anchoring said frame to the bed in various positions.

ALFRED POPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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